Human Rights

Just Security’s expert authors offer in-depth analysis on critical human rights challenges, including those related to armed conflict, emerging technologies, abuses by authoritarian governments, repression of human rights advocates and independent media, human rights litigation, racial justice, gender equality, and more.

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3,055 Articles
Friends of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi hold posters bearing his picture as they attend an event marking the second-year anniversary of his assassination in front of Saudi Arabia Istanbul Consulate, on October 2, 2020.

The “Khashoggi Ban”: What It Does and Doesn’t Mean

The "Khashoggi Ban" is a positive step for accountability for transnational repression, but it is undermined by the Biden administration’s reluctance to act against Saudi Crown…
People gather to watch the verdict of Dominic Ongwen, a former child soldier-turned-commander for the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), on a projector screen in Gulu, Uganda, on February 4, 2021.

Truth, Justice, and the Narrative in International Criminal Law

International courts are inherently expressive: they provide a platform for a multitude of narratives. But recently, some prosecutorial narratives have begun to dominate in International…
Members of Yemen's Saudi-backed pro-government forces search for land mines in Yemen's war-ravaged western province of Hodeida on March 1, 2021. One person uncovers an object in the dirt delicately.

Put Yemen’s Civil Society – and Accountability — at the Center of the Push for Peace

Restoring US leadership and values on Yemen requires more than to stop selling bombs to the Saudis. Yemenis need the chance to confront impunity.
A Judge holds golden scales of justice with Sri Lanka waving flag background.

Sri Lanka’s Evasion of Accountability Tests the Limits of the International Human Rights System

Twelve years of failed justice must trigger an honest debate on the ability of these mechanisms to prevent violations and deal with historical atrocities.
People cross the street near a protest sign reading "Khashoggi way" across the street from the White House in Washington, DC, on December 23, 2018.

How Biden, Congress, and US Business and Civic Leaders Can Deliver Justice for Jamal Khashoggi

How the Biden administration responds to this monstrous crime will tell us a great deal about the depth of its commitment to press freedom and human rights.
Renu Begum, eldest sister of Shamima Begum, 15, holds her sister's photo as she is interviewed by the media at New Scotland Yard.

In Shamima Begum Case, UK Supreme Court Dismisses Rights and Overlooks Potential Victimhood

The UK Supreme Court overlooked the critical and badly under-examined fact that Begum may be a victim of child marriage and human trafficking.
Members of the security forces walking at the site of a NATO airstrike which destroyed two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in northern Kunduz on September 4, 2009.

Kunduz Airstrike Before European Court of Human Rights: Future of Jurisdiction and Duty to Investigate

The future of European Human Rights Court's jurisdiction and the future of States' duty to investigate civilian casualties in wartime.
Demonstrators from several environmental groups including Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise Movement demand broad action at a youth-led climate strike near City Hall on December 6, 2019 in New York City. A large banner reads, “Climate Change” but “Climate” is crossed-out and “System” is written in its place to read “System Change.” Youth carry additional signs reading, “Respect your mama” with an Earth symbol; “We cannot say we did not know;” “Hey Exxon, stop burning my future;” “No more excuses;” and more.

How Domestic Civic Movements Could Reshape US Foreign Policy

Nonviolent and inclusive, they can provide the energy, dynamism, and power-shifting ability needed to address the world’s interconnected crises.
Iraqi Yazidis attend a candle-lit vigil in the Sharya area, some 15 kilometres from the northern city of Dohuk in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region on August 3, 2020, marking the sixth anniversary of the Islamic State (IS) group's attack on the Yazidi community in the northwestern Sinjar district. They hold signs reading, “Support women survivors from ISIS captivity,” “We will not give u; we will not stop until all kidnapped are returned,” and more. One person wears a face mask, but the other two in the photo do not.

Intersecting Religious and Gender-Based Persecution in Yazidi Genocide Case: A Request for an Extension of Charges

The self-described Islamic State (IS) is publicly accused of having committed, in addition to genocide and war crimes, crimes against humanity and persecution on the basis of religion…
Sri Lankan Army Major General Jagath Dias points to a map where security forces are located during a presentation for Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse at the city of Kilinochchi on April 16, 2009.

Universal Jurisdiction — the Most Difficult Path to Achieve Justice for Sri Lanka

The record shows that, if this is the only feasible route to accountability for now, countries will require additional support at the UN level to achieve accountability.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, on January 20, 2021. They wear masks and have a military escort.

How the Biden-Harris Administration Can Advance Peace & Freedom – At Home and Abroad

Five clear steps the Biden-Harris administration can take to promote human dignity around the globe.
Nobel peace laureate Leymah Gbowee, head of the Women in Peacebuilding Network (WIPNET), stands in front of a sign calling for peaceful elections in Monrovia on October 5, 2017. The sign reads, Don’t Touch Our Peace.”

Biden Needs a Foreign Policy Focused on Sustainable Peace

War and weapons cannot solve today’s most urgent challenges. They require peacebuilding, diplomacy, and conflict-sensitive development.
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